Written in Z

Apr 16, 2026 01:38PM ● By Jen Gennaro

Patrice Maguire

When faced with a crisis, which will you choose: bitterness, or betterment? Part memoir, part devotional, Zachary resident Patrice Maguire’s 2025 novel Bitter or Better is a faith-filled companion for those walking through a hardship. Maguire says during the writing and publishing process, she was going through multiple simultaneous hardships, including a separation, death of one parent and illness of another, and her own breast cancer battle. “There were plenty of opportunities to become bitter, but my own book helped me choose a better perspective – God’s perspective,” she says. In late 2025, she published Better, Not Bitter, a children’s book adaptation.

Amazon Review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Awesome book delivering HOPE in the midst of trials! Such a great book to read! It’s not just for those who have had breast cancer. It ministers to anyone who is facing or has faced a crisis or unexpected change in their lives!

Bill Lewis

Written by Bill Lewis and edited by his daughter, Cathy Lewis Gabel, Simpler Times is a collection of essays and musings by 95-year-old Bill Lewis of Central. His true stories of American Southern history span from the 1930s to the present day, from the Civil War recollections of aged relatives to his memories of life during WWII and beyond. Bill Lewis shares amusing and heartfelt anecdotes about his early life in the country town of Central, Louisiana, as well as his later years at work and in marriage—with a few of his own recipes sprinkled in.

Amazon Review⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great Coffee Table Read. It's a pleasurable collection of stories that can be read straight through or as my son likes to do, skip around.

Margeaux Weston

Margeaux Weston of Zachary is a neurodivergent writer and editor whose byline has appeared in outlets like HuffPost and Ebony. Her horror story collection, Haintland, has repeatedly landed on Substack’s Top 40 Fiction list. She is the author or co-author of five books, two of which received starred reviews from School Library Journal.

Building on her work as a neurodivergent writer, Margeaux's newest book, Everything But Typical explores the stories of neurodivergent individuals whose talents and determination have changed the world. From Daniel Radcliffe and Simone Biles to Billie Eilish, Barbara Corcoran, and Muhammad Ali, the book highlights a wide range of voices and experiences. Written with middle school readers in mind, it’s the kind of book parents may find themselves reading, too. You can learn more about Margeaux's work at www.margeauxweston.com

Order your copy at amazon.com.